A severe incident of ragging, escalating to physical assault and robbery, has surfaced at the Aakash Group of Institutions in Devanahalli, prompting swift police action and highlighting a persistent menace in educational spaces.
Based on a complaint filed by the institution, the Devanahalli police registered a First Information Report (FIR) on January 16. The case took a serious turn with the arrest of three students—identified as Bilal, Mohammad Naushad, and Afzal. They have subsequently been remanded to judicial custody. Police are actively searching for other accused persons named in the document.
A Total of 22 Students Implicated
Authorities stated that the FIR names a total of 22 students from various senior-year courses, including BPharma, Nursing, diploma programs, Health Sciences, Medical Imaging Technology (MIT), and Physiotherapy.
Chronology of Intimidation and Violence
According to the police complaint, the incident began with senior students allegedly ragging first-year juniors inside the campus, forcing them to run errands such as bringing cigarettes, drinks, and carrying books. The targeted juniors reported the harassment to the admission in-charge, Madhavan, who warned the seniors against such behavior.
However, the intimidation reportedly resumed on the evening of January 15. When the juniors again approached Madhavan, he accompanied them to a tea shop behind the college around 9 pm to confront the seniors.
The situation turned violent instead of being resolved. The senior students, along with an outsider named Naveen, allegedly launched a brutal attack on the juniors and Madhavan. The FIR details that the assault was carried out using rods, sticks, and stones. In a further criminal act, accused Bilal is alleged to have snatched a 32-gram gold chain from one of the junior students.
Legal Action and Ongoing Probe
The police have registered the case under relevant sections of the new Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) and the Karnataka Education Act, which contains provisions against ragging. The outsider, Naveen, has also been booked for his involvement in the assault and for issuing threats.
"Further investigation is underway. We have obtained and are examining the CCTV footage of the incident," a police official stated.
Broader Implications
This case has reignited concerns about the effectiveness of anti-ragging mechanisms within educational institutions. The fact that the harassment continued despite an initial complaint to an official, and that it culminated in a violent off-campus assault, points to a severe breakdown of discipline and student safety protocols.
The Aakash Group of Institutions has yet to issue a detailed public statement on the internal actions being taken against the accused students. The incident serves as a stark reminder of the physical and psychological trauma ragging inflicts and underscores the urgent need for stringent preventive enforcement and swift institutional response to protect students.
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